The first dedicated pickleball club in the Waco area, Dinkden Pickleball Club, opened in early March, offering an indoor space for the rapidly growing sport. The facility has already seen strong community support, reflecting the increasing popularity of pickleball in the region.
A Dream Realized
Owned by brothers Marc and Alexander Freiman, Dinkden Waco is their second location, following their first in Austin. Expanding into Waco has been a long-time goal for them.
“It’s been great. Waco is a very tight knit community. We are a family run business and very locally orientated. The pickleball community here is awesome.” – (Alexander)
Building a Pickleball Community
Van Davis, a fitness enthusiast and advocate for pickleball, has played a major role in growing the sport in Waco since retiring from Baylor University in 2022. She started an outreach program called My Awesome Pickleball Outreach, which offers free lessons and games throughout the week.
“I started playing pickleball after my retirement from Baylor, fell in love with the game and wanted to expose this awesome sport to our community without any barriers.” – (Van Davis)
Her efforts have introduced over 550 people to pickleball, whether through learning the game, participating in tournaments, or attending open-play sessions.
“Within one year, we have had 550 people walk through the door either to learn how to play pickleball or come in and play in tournaments or open gym and it’s been a wonderful service to the community and I’m really excited about how much pickleball has grown in Waco.” – (Van Davis)
Fundraising and Future Growth
Over the past weekend, Davis organized a fundraiser at Dinkden to support a friend battling cancer. She believes the presence of a dedicated indoor facility is a significant development for Waco.
“A big company would not come into Waco if the community was not here.” – (Van Davis)
Dinkden Waco is located at 700 Schroeder Drive and is expected to become a key location for local pickleball players.
News in Brief: Dinkden Pickleball Club
Dinkden Pickleball Club, Waco’s first indoor pickleball facility, opened in early March. Owned by Marc and Alexander Freiman, it has already gained strong community support. Local advocate Van Davis has played a key role in surging the sport. The facility is located at 700 Schroeder Drive and aims to be a hub for players.
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